Four Legs Good Two Legs Bad

Classify Sort & Rank

Look at p.15 in your booklet. READ THE CHAPTER SUMMARIES. Orwell did not give his chapters a title. Give each chapter a title and justify it. DO this in two columns using a grid with rows and columns where in one column you write the chapter name and in the next you explain your reason for giving it that title.

Read pp.21-24. Condense the information into a grid to make it easier for you to manage. Use the grid provided in the link to complete THEMES IN ANIMAL FARM & GENRE and POINT OF VIEW. Themes Classification Grid.doc (40 kB)

Make a list of 15 important quotes from the text. Classify your quotes under the following headings: torture, propaganda, satire, totalitarian, utopia.(3 quotes per heading.)

Respond to the discussion forum below.

Revolutions change the very nature of societies. How true is this for Animal Farm? Do you agree?

Date: 02/05/2013

By: Sarah Marvin

Subject: English

I agree that revolutions change the nature of societies as this very notion is displayed in Orwell's Animal Farm. As readers we are able to see how the revolution changed the running of the farm as the animals lives changed from slaves of Mr Jones to independent individuals. However, it is evident that that the revolution did not play out as intended; although the animals were free from their original tyrant (Mr Jones), their idea of a Utopia turned into the animals facing the wrath of the self-appointed leader of Napoleon and his tyranny. The animals wanted fair treatment for all the animals, yet they had no choice in who was their leader. Therefore, I agree with the idea that revolutions (such as the one that occurred in Animal Farm) change the nature of societies, as the lives of the animals changed completely. After the revolution, they were forced to follow the ideas of Animalism (the Seven Commandments) and were under the reign of Napoleon. In some ways, the animals independence was shattered after the revolution, which has been evident throughout Russian History where the working class has been disadvantaged under a totalitarian regime. Based upon the reasons stated above, I completely agree with the statement.

Subject: English

I agree that revolutions change the very nature of societies, however not always in the way intended. As demonstrated in Animal Farm revolutions can corrupt the very nature of societies through obsession with power. This idea is conveyed when Animal Farm is usurped by the pigs; the farm is now under the rule of an individual rather than equally among the animals, betraying the ideologies of animalism, voiced by Old Major, representative of Karl Marx’s theory of communism. The pigs’ newfound power sees them becoming indistinguishable from their masters whom they overthrew for exploiting them. Orwell proves the above statement true for Animal Farm, it can be seen that the revolution of Animal Farm changed the nature of their society from one with holistic desires to achieve equality to one that betrayed animalism and conformed to the ideals they resisted.

Subject: Animal Farm

The objective of a revolution is to change the nature of societies, however in the novella ‘Animal Farm’, by George Orwell the animals do not change society in the way that they hoped. The animals of ‘Animal Farm’ started an uprising against humans in order to gain back power and control of themselves. Once this was achieved the animals attempted to stick to the animalism ideologies that Old Major suggested at the beginning of the book. This proved unsuccessful and the animals, led by the pigs, start to conform to human ways and in the end run a very corrupt farm. The pigs turn the farm into exactly how it was run by the humans, and they turn into the humans themselves, by wearing clothes, drinking alcohol etc. So, whilst the objective of a revolution is to change the nature of society, but in the case of Animal Farm, the nature of society is not changed, it is power that has changed over from man to pig.

Subject: Response

I believe that the above statement is very true in regards to the novella “Animal farm”. I believe this because, when the pigs become the new leaders of the farm, they immediately think that they are superior to the other animals and that is why there was no need to consult them. Instead of all animals being seen as equals they are being ruled by another group of animals who go against this. Before the rebellion the animals united together and strived to achieve one goal, whereas after the rebellion the pigs see them self as the most important thus looking upon and treating their fellow animals with nothing by disrespect. With this being said, there is a hierarchy being made, which separates the animals into different groups in terms of their importance and it is from this we can see how any type of revolution can impact a society.

Subject: Animal farm

The change in nature due to revolutions is shown through the novella, animal farm. After uprising against human power the animals aim to make a eutopia of their own, where they have fair rights to their produce.They strive to stick to their anamalistic ideologies but soon enough we recognise that these beliefs of animalism begin to be abandoned. This occurs as the animals start to follow in the same forms of power that they were once controlled. The pigs are the first to conform to the human ways, they use their intelligence to manipulate the other animals. As they abandon their beliefs on animalism, they start to wear clothes, drink alcohol, sleep in beds, and above all corrupt power therefore changing their 'nature'. To conclude it is evident that a revolution can outcome in the changing of a societies nature.

Subject: English

I believe that revolutions do change the nature of societies this is evident in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm." Throughout this novel the pigs take over the animal society and become superior and of higher authority to the other animals on the farm. We can see that this revolution has a big impact on the nature of the animal society as the living and working conditions on the farm become worse than what they had in the beginning. The revolution or “rebellion” in “Animal Farm” creates an unjust society for the many animals on the farm. Hence, one can see that revolutions change the social order in many ways; this can either be a beneficial change towards the environment or a detrimental change. In this case “Animal Farm” has a detrimental change as the environment is changed to become worse than what it was in the beginning rather than a better society.

Subject: English

Yes, I do believe that revolutions change the very nature of societies and this is very true for Animal Farm. The revolution in the animal kingdom however only lasted for a short amount of time. Once the overruled Mr Jones, Napoleon became leader and dictator to the animals. The pigs take over Animal Farm and this was only decided from the fear and use of a totalitarian leader. The animals were no longer equal and the very nature of society was changed due to a revolution. The idealism of Animal Farm was that of a utopia; however the revolution did not change the society for the better.

Subject: english

I believe that the statement "Revolutions change the very nature of societies" is true. Because we can see in animal farm how the pigs take over the society of animal farm, they don’t consult the other animals first. The pigs think that they are in charged and superior. All the animals are no longer equal, society has changed for them. Therefore George Orwell helps us see that society can be changed with revolutions.

Subject: Animal Farm

I believe that 'revolutions change the very nature of societies' in the case of Animal Farm becaues after the revolution of Animal Farm it changes from the core of their beliefs being 'All animals are equal' and all the animals using their own produce for themselves and not the humans, to the pigs being more important than the animals which help the farm opperate. The animals are treated with less respect than before the revolution and the conditions are worse.

Subject: English

When a revolution occurs, there is an overthrow of government by those who are governed and a drastic change in ways of thinking and behaving. I believe revolutions change the nature of society and that this statement resonates for the reader in Animal Farm. When the rebellion takes place in chapter one of Animal Farm, the master of the farm, Mr. Jones, is overthrown. The animals have therefore achieved their main goal and feel carefree and relaxed. This relieved feeling enlightens the animals with confidence, therefore changing their personalities from prior to the rebellion, hesitant and fearful. With this new confidence, the nature of Animal Farm is altered to fit the animal’s new laid back personalities.